by DAVE FACINOLI

Staff Writer

The starting pitchers were the same, but this time the outcome was different.

BASEBALL

Behind a combined one-hit performance from senior Matt Riffee (6-2) and senior closer Johnny Ayers, the Madison Warhawks blanked the host Langley Saxons, 6-0, last week in a Liberty District high school baseball game that lasted just 1 hour and 33 minutes. Madison (13-2, 8-1) also defeated W.T. Woodson, 5-2, and South Lakes, 3-2, in other league games last week to take over sole possession of first place in the district.

When this week began, Madison had won 13 straight games.

Madison’s second loss of the season was a 2-1 setback against Langley when Riffee was the losing pitcher and junior fellow right-hander Jimmy Saris was the winner for the Saxons. Madison had only two hits against Saris in that game and struck out 11 times. Langley had three hits in the game and only one off Riffee.

Last week the Warhawks collected nine hits off Saris and Riffee didn’t allow a hit in the five innings he worked. Langley (10-5, 5-4) made four errors that led to three unearned runs.

Riffee was lifted because his arm became a little sore and tight, plus he was pitching on short rest.

“I wanted to go back out, but this is a team game,” Riffee said. “I didn’t have my best stuff tonight, but I was hitting my spots.”

Madison coach Mark Gjormand said he had only planned to pitch Riffee for five innings.

“Matt wanted to stay out there, but we have to stick with what we believe in for the long term,” Gjormand said.

Riffee threw 51 pitches, walked three and struck out two. The shutout was the first Langley suffered this season. Saris fanned nine, walked one and threw 108 pitches.

“Jimmy threw well enough to win, but the supporting cast was not there,” Langley coach Jeff Ferrell said. “But give a lot of credit to Riffee. He threw lights out and his changeup kept us off balance. We haven’t been shut down like that all year. We got outplayed a little tonight.”

Saris struck out the side looking in the second inning. After that, Madison became more aggressive at the plate.

“He is a good pitcher and you have to battle him, but we were pulling off against him at first,” Gjormand said. “We told them they needed to dig in more.”

Madison dug in during the next inning when back-to-back doubles by No. 9 hitter Joe Canova (2 for 3) and Ayers plated the Warhawks’ first run. Madison scored an unearned run on a throwing error in the fifth and Canova had a two-run single in the Warhawks’ four-run seventh.

“We are swinging the bats so much better now than the first time we faced him,” said Riffee, who doubled in last week’s game.

Riffee’s younger brother Mark had two hits for Madison, whick did not make an error. Ayers allowed one hit, to Russell Blankinship, in the two innings he worked.

Langley junior catcher Nick Zahra threw out a Madison runner trying to steal second and picked off another at first. He also had a throwing error that led to a run.

“He had the error, but I think that was Nick’s best game as a catcher so far for us,” Ferrell said.

Brian Eck (3-0) pitched a complete game and Canova drove in two runs in Madison’s 5-2 win over W.T. Woodson. Eck fanned seven.

“Those were two good wins,” Gjormand said.

Against South Lakes, Ayers got the win in relief, Ray Sparrow singled home the winning run and Nick Tomasetti had two hits.

In its other games last week, Langley defeated South Lakes, 6-5, and lost to the McLean Highlanders, 4-3, for the second time this season. Blankinship tossed a complete game against South Lakes and Alex Dadisman went 3 for 4 and drove in the winning run with a double in the bottom of the seventh inning for Langley. Zahra singled to drive in the tying run earlier in the seventh.

The Highlanders (10-4, 7-2) defeated Marshall, 7-6, and Woodson, 5-3, in their other games last week and continued as the most improved team in the league. McLean has already won more games than a year ago when it had eight victories and a 4-8 league mark. McLean was 2-18 in 2002 and 9-9 in 2001. In 2000 the Highlanders won the district tournament and finished 16-4.

This season, since losing to Madison to fall to 0-2 in the district and 3-4 overall, the Highlanders have won seven straight games and began this week in sole possession of second place in the Liberty.

Shane Mills struck out nine and was the winning pitcher against Woodson as Billy Corey, TK Marks and Butch Bastable had two hits each. Bastable, Jake Farmer and Marks had two RBI each against Marshall and Danny Mills got the win.

Farmer had two hits and three RBI against Langley, Danny Bell, Josh Huson and Marks had two hits each and JB Oldenburg got the win in relief. McLean plays three games this week